Topic: Men's Basketball Cayman Islands Classic

[herd2win]

We need to play at least 1 P5 to make this tourney worth going to.  Ole Miss will be much improved with Beard as the coach.  His teams play very hard.

[Garbanjo]

We need to play at least 1 P5 to make this tourney worth going to.  Ole Miss will be much improved with Beard as the coach.  His teams play very hard.

This is a great opportunity for Marshall

[coalherd]

Not so fast my friend...someone told me you can quickly turn a program/roster using the portal in off-season


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Let's see. Penn State just hired Mike Rhoades from VCU to be their head coach.  Rhoades who was at Rice for 3 seasons before he went to VCU where he went 129-61 in SIX seasons, including THREE NCAA bids.  VCU immediately hired Ryan Odum from Utah State, where he was 44-25 in two seasons including a NCAA bid this season.  Odum was previously at Maryland-Baltimore County, where his 16th seeded team became the first one seeded that low to knock off a ONE seed (Virginia).

Guess some mid-major schools know right away if they've hired a coach who will deliver during the regular season and in post season tourneys.  When you want a quality and nationally respected program, it doesn't take nearly TEN years to find out that you've got the "right" guy, cause somebody will soon come along long before that and trying to get him!!!

[MUfan08]

https://www.bloggingthebracket.com/platform/amp/2023/4/4/23665918/2023-24-mens-college-basketball-exempt-multi-team-events-mte-thanksgiving-early-season-tournaments

Update, add Oakland and still two other teams needed (at the bottom Cincy has not committed and that was one of the teams rumored.

Ole Miss will not be coming

https://twitter.com/RoccoMiller8/status/1647711704028164096?s=20

[herdorbust2]

https://www.bloggingthebracket.com/platform/amp/2023/4/4/23665918/2023-24-mens-college-basketball-exempt-multi-team-events-mte-thanksgiving-early-season-tournaments

Update, add Oakland and still two other teams needed (at the bottom Cincy has not committed and that was one of the teams rumored.

Ole Miss will not be coming

https://twitter.com/RoccoMiller8/status/1647711704028164096?s=20

Well that's not turning out as planned. Let's hope they fill those 2 spots with name teams.

[herd2win]

Doesn't look like we will get the quality games we thought.  Hope the guys at least enjoy the trip.

[coalherd]

Yeah, if MU goes there an lays an "egg" or two, let's hope it's against a couple of recognizable teams and not against some "who dat" foes!!

[mubowhunter]

I wonder if some of these teams feared possibly playing the Herd?

[herdorbust2]

I wonder if some of these teams feared possibly playing the Herd?

Or maybe once we signed, they felt it didn't have enough prestige?

[gochneaur645]

Or maybe once we signed, they felt it didn't have enough prestige?

Lol, yeah I'm sure it was us and not Oakland dragging the field down.

Disappointing Ole Miss is gone. Still much better than playing 3 Chicago State type teams in Huntington. Here's the field with last year's KenPom rankings:

28- Utah State
69- Drake
83- Marshall
86- Wake Forest
132- SF Austin
272- Oakland

[herdorbust2]

Lol, yeah I'm sure it was us and not Oakland dragging the field down.

Disappointing Ole Miss is gone. Still much better than playing 3 Chicago State type teams in Huntington. Here's the field with last year's KenPom rankings:

28- Utah State
69- Drake
83- Marshall
86- Wake Forest
132- SF Austin
272- Oakland

Yep some big names in that group. But I agree it's better than playing the 3 auto wins we usually do.

[Herdmeister]

I'm sure the coaching change at Ole Miss was the reason. Kermit obviously wanted to go.
There are still two more teams that will be added.
Cincinnati had expressed interest but hasn't pulled the trigger

[coalherd]

Lucky for us that, so far, Queens is NOT in the field!!

[MUfan08]

Lucky for us that, so far, Queens is NOT in the field!!

Pretty sure they come to Henderson center this season for the return game.

[coalherd]

Pretty sure they come to Henderson center this season for the return game.

You're probably right.  For sure, Danny D. wouldn't relish having to play them TWICE in a season!!

[herdorbust2]

Pretty sure they come to Henderson center this season for the return game.

And I saw where they got an athletic 6'11 transfer from Georgetown.

[Herdmeister]

Pretty sure they come to Henderson center this season for the return game.

They will be along with UNCG, Miami (OH) and Duquesne. Away games so far at 3 in Cayman Islands, Ohio and Toledo.
They are hoping to buy 3 home games and start a home and home series with someone with the first game on the road.

[svherd]

Hope we at least play Utah St. and Wake. USU has good rankings and Wake has the name.

Maybe play one or two big boys on the road to beef up the schedule and let the kids compete on a bigger stage. I am sure they would embrace that.

[herd2win]

Time to schedule a P5 money game or 2 on the road.

[Flat Tire 2]

I wouldn't count on Utah State being highly regarded (#28 last year) this year. They lost their coach to VCU and their All MWC  first team guard has transferred to Creighton.  USU has three more players in the portal and four other players have used up their eligibility if you read the below link. That means they will lose about 8 players from the current team.

We?ve got to fill pretty much an entire roster? ? Danny Sprinkle faces a big challenge year one at USU
https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/archive/2023/04/17/weve-got-to-fill-pretty-much-an-entire-roster-danny-sprinkle-faces-a-big-challenge-year-one-at-usu/

If this tourney doesn't get a higher profile team to play, we might as well stay at home. I wonder what the financials are to play in the Canary Islands? Will MU receive enough money to cover expenses or is this one of those "pay for play" deals?

[MUfan08]

They will be along with UNCG, Miami (OH) and Duquesne. Away games so far at 3 in Cayman Islands, Ohio and Toledo.
They are hoping to buy 3 home games and start a home and home series with someone with the first game on the road.

No Robert Morris or Akron?

[herdorbust2]

Hope we at least play Utah St. and Wake. USU has good rankings and Wake has the name.

Maybe play one or two big boys on the road to beef up the schedule and let the kids compete on a bigger stage. I am sure they would embrace that.

As FT2 said USU lost virtually the whole team and coach. And WF lost their all everything guard Appleby.

[svherd]

As FT2 said USU lost virtually the whole team and coach. And WF lost their all everything guard Appleby.

They still have a name. Tired of playing nobodies. Doesn't help us one bit.

[herdorbust2]

They still have a name. Tired of playing nobodies. Doesn't help us one bit.

Oh I agree. But this tournament isn't turning out like we thought. WF is the only name in it at this point. It's better for us that it's getting watered down because we aren't going to have much next year unless a couple ballers fall in our lap. Andrew and Curfman will have to fire away next year and hope for the best.

[MUonium]

no matter who the opponents, i hope DD gets a couple more good players for a decent team that can mesh, win all three and carry away some momentum for the rest of the season.